I do not live in the neighborhood. Drove to Brooklyn specifically to have dinner at this place. They do not take reservations. I was rejected at the door because they were closed for a wedding. There was no indication on the website that something like that was probable. I will not go back. read more

Awesome spot. Great food and nice ambiance.

Rucola is a favorite of my girlfriend and me. The menu is fantastic, the atmosphere can't be beat, and the wine list is reasonably priced. We just went back to Rucola for our anniversary, and the folks at the restaurant made us feel very special. We venture out from Manhattan for this, and it's definitely worth the trip. read more

Rucola has done an amazing job in establishing an interesting and Brooklyn-appropriate theme inside their quaint space. A buddy and I arrived for a quick breakfast and were pleased with the delicious coffee (Stumptown maybe?) I had the broccoli rabe and cheese scramble and was satisfied, buts not won over by the slightly runny eggs, although I liked the combination of eggs and broccoli rabe. My dining companion had the egg and kale sandwich which I admit, looks better to me than what I was having. All in all a nice experience with good service. I'd certainly return for lunch or dinner to try some of their signature dishes. read more

I've had this place bookmarked for ages so am glad I finally got to try it last night for dinner. Knowing they didn't take reservations, we put our name down on the list and went to the Brooklyn Inn for a drink while we waited for our table. The 45 minute wait was expected for a Friday night at around 8. They called us back about 40 minutes later but when we got there, we were told that our table wasn't actually ready yet because the people were just finishing up dessert. Maybe they didn't expect us to actually come back so promptly, but it was a little annoying. We got seated about 10 minutes later. The restaurant is so charming and cozy with it's tall open windows with indoor planter boxes. The lighting above is made out of what looked like milk bottles that covered the dim yellow light bulbs. I love the dark old weathered fixtures that give the place such character. Our waitress was friendly and great at describing the popular dishes. We started with a bottle of the Montepulciano and a bunch of appetizers: the pickled fennel, the Sapore del Piave cheese, eggplant caponata, roasted carrots and grilled octopus. The big chunks of fennel were lightly pickled, crunchy and refreshing. The waitress described the Sapore del Piave cheese as similar to a cheddar and the best cheese she's ever had in the world - big call, lady. With that statement, I had to try it. When it came out, I thought it was more nutty and hard than a cheddar and while it was delicious, I don't think I'd say it was the best in the world. But could I say that about any cheese? There's just too much good cheese out there. I was a little disappointed to see only three thin slices of the cheese, but I did really like the homemade pear jam it came with.The roasted carrots were served on a bed of black lentils topped with goat cheese. Delicious! Carrots can be one of the most boring things to eat in my opinion but these were great. The grilled octopus was served on some pinto beans and was pretty good, and the eggplant was tasty but not that memorable. For the main, I ordered the roasted chicken. Divine. The skin was crispy and light and the chicken was so juicy and tender. It was served on top of a creamy celery root purée with some sautéed spinach. I certainly ate the entire dish with minimal sharing. When it was time for dessert, our famously upselling waitress recommended the Four & Twenty Blackbirds fig crumble. I had no idea what Four & Twenty Blackbirds was but apparently it's one of the best pie places in Brooklyn, and as a Californian, I love figs so of course I ordered it. It was magical. It tasted like Christmas, and the fresh whipped cream on the side was perfection. Great spot! I'll be back. read more

The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because this place is small, so expect to wait. We put our name on the hour long wait list, then went and had a drink elsewhere. However, you will be thrilled with the food. Rustic Italian is a good descriptor. We had a sampling of everything we could manage for 4 people, all was excellent, as was the service once we were seated. Again, loud, packed, etc., but worth it, and this was a Thursday night, and they're open till midnight. Also, the bartender is from Jacksonville Beach, Fl, and went to a school 3 blocks from where we once lived. Great night (we were there 1 1/2 hours), good people, good food, totally Brooklynish. read more

Amazing food in a super-cute, romantic spot in Boerum Hill. Everything we had was amazing, and the service could not be more friendly. I've heard it can get a bit crowded, but it's a perfect brunch or dinner spot with a date or small group of friends. read more

Came here Thursday night with the lady for dinner. Getting in: - They don't take resos, we walked in around 8:30 and they had a spot for 2 at the large center table Atmosphere: - 2 tables out side and then a number inside - Large center common table - Bar on the side with seating - probably the place to sit - Great vibe to it, reminds me of the James in a way - However, this place is EXTREMELY loud. Painfully loud. - Tight seating - reminds me of a Manhattan resto (e.g., Bianca's) Service: - Service was great - Prompt and polite and non-intrusive Food: - Veg courses were very good (got fried cauliflower, eggplant caponata and the roasted beets), although a little heavy on the oil - the Rigatoni pasta dish was fantastic. Really liked it. tastey - but expensive for such a small portion - Lamb was very funky - supposed to be leg of lamb, it came out not on the bone and looked like a piece of steak. The meat tasted like they used the same pan to sear the lamb as they did to sear some fish. The veg that came along with it were over roasted, bordering on mushy. This was a disappointment. Size was small and quite expensive for what it was Drinks: - They made a nice aperol spritz - Reasonably priced wine Other: - I really wanted to like this place more and the lamb dish really failed here - Portions are small and prices are high - I likely will not come back here for dinner, but would like to try brunch read more

I love Boerum Hill for many reasons and Rucola is one of them. This. place. is. so. good! We got the crudo to start and shared a pasta dish - both were out of this world. It's the perfect intimate-meets-rustic spot for date night! read more

Their brunch is delicious. Went here on Saturday and it was pretty packed, but we didn't have to wait for a seat. Not necessarily cheap, but not too pricey. I had a salad, my friends had the broccoli rabe and the bacon, egg and cheese. We got the apple pie from 4 & 20 Blackbirds. YUM. Definitely recommend! read more

Some of the best Italian food I have had in the states. Squid Ink pasta was out of this world. We started questioning why it was taking so long for our food but we didn't mind as we were drinking and having food conversation about work when the waiter came over apologizing that there was a computer error and the chef was on it then. Without asking he brought us out 2 appetizers to try, extra bread, and a spread of meat and cheese all on the house to make up for it. Absolutely worth the inconvenience. Everything we ate was delicious. Group said their shells dish, sea bass, and chicken were all delicious as well. Good pricing for Brooklyn as well imo. read more

It was ok. Very slow service. Food was just ok, but the wait was incredible long. Don't go if your hungry.

The food is decent, and you can tell they use good ingredients, but nothing outside of standard italian fare, pasta was overcooked, which was all such disappointment considering the 1.5 hour wait time to get in here. All in all without the queue I'd probably have given it 3.5 stars but the whole experience left me underwhelmed. I'd say skip it go elsewhere. Lovely wait staff however. read more

A small dimly lit restaurant with closely packed tables. The food is worth it though. Small menu but everything sounded great. I had the Bolognese Rigatoni which was so rich and hearty. I would go back for that bolognese anyday ! read more

Came to Brooklyn for a New Year's concert, with no specific dining plan in mind. Read a little bit about it & gave it a whirl. So glad we did...staff was warm & welcoming as soon as we came in. Without a rez, they accommodated us at the bar. Very good drinks and a $65 NYE prix-fixe dinner of 5 courses. Good cooking, good flavors, simple and tasty. Made new friends at the bar and had some fun tasting a few different amari, which weren't very familiar with. Would go back anytime. read more

Good.... I wished it was better. Came here for new years eve dinner, and i guess based in that I should have been prepared, my track record with pre-fix dinners is less than desirable. The menu was nice and varied, just didn't blow any of us away. Really cute environment, would be a great date place, feels intimate inside and off the beaten path. Will give it another try on a normal day!! read more

I went here for brunch on a Sunday and while this place gets 5 stars for ambiance and decor, it gets 2 stars for food. The best part of my meal was my iced coffee. I ordered the poached eggs and my friends ordered the same. The eggs arrived on two slices of sourdough toast and were covered in marinara sauce. I was not expecting the marinara sauce and it made the bread really soggy. The poached eggs were nice - the yolks were still runny, but again - the marinara - threw off my breakfast experience. Unfortunately my friend's poached eggs were cooked all the way through and she was basically eating boiled eggs with marinara sauce. The dishes were not served with traditional potatoes or hashbrowns or any sides. The dish came with a pork sort of like prosciutto and was not very flavorful. Head elsewhere for brunch. read more

This is the place where I go to get good food and drinks in a laid back environment. The plates can be a bit pricey for the serving sizes, but the food is amazingly flavorful. My husband and I usually get an appetizer and a pasta dish to share, and then we each get a meat dish. This is the perfect serving for a petite me and him. The cocktails are also well crafted and smooth. This is the place where I first fell in love with bourbon, so of course it is a very sentimental place for me. read more

Hidden gem!!! Amazing staff, amazing food amazing ambiance and overall style. Nice place to come with a friend for lunch of dinner. Went with a friend near 6 (fairly slow) so we sat by the window seat, and probably the best seating! The food was great overall moderate servings but don't be fooled as it is enough, "it's quality not quantity" trust me! For drinks my friend had root beer no complaints there and my lemonade was perfect! A bit of an orange twist, not too sweet not to sour. We ordered (Rigatoni) and (spaghetti) and we had ZERO complaints as the food is very presentable and delish!! We both agreed to come back and try everything on the menu, for sure with more people. It started to pick up around 7 so if you want to avoid the crowd, come before 7 but people in the area seem pretty nice. Also didn't feel pressured or rushed out, nice and relaxed staff again quality not quantity. Water glass never reached halfway as our waiter was very attentive. read more

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I LOVE the food here, and the decor is super stylish and pretty making for a great atmosphere. I recommend the rigatoni - it's a unique and memorable sauce. So delicious! read more

My boyfriend and I had come here before for brunch and really enjoyed it. Today we went back for dinner, and it blew us away. We sat outside both trips and will continue choosing that. Both times we've been, there have been large parties inside. The neighborhood is peaceful and the outdoor tables are lovely. The service isn't speedy but it's friendly enough and fine. We had the arugula salad, crudo, duck liver mousse with blackberries, an amazing pasta dish called garganelli, and crispy polenta. It was the sort of meal that forces you to say things like "oh wow" and "oh my God" every time you take a bite. We will keep coming back here; the food is truly transcendent. read more

Food was great. Small restaurant but busy. Ambiance is relaxing but romantic. Their chef's meat, cheese, and antipasti platter was great! Only two home-made pastas but they were both delicious! I've been to Italy and this food is comparable! I would love to go back there one day. read more

A pretty solid four. Everything is very good, with no risk of not being that way, and it's very comfortable food in a friendly, familiar atmosphere. Nothing much to complain about here -- highly recommended. read more

On a beautiful street and cozy, with great service and a great cocktail and wine list. The food is mediocre at best, lacking flavor, and accented with weird ingredients. The house made pastas are nothing exceptional. It's loud and stroller park heaven on the Friday night we went. read more

Th food is always great as is the coffee. I haven't gone for cocktails yet so I am not sure how they are. The service, however, leaves something to be desired. I have been a few times and I always find myself having to remind the server that I ordered something, and sometimes it never comes at all! read more

Holy crap, this was amazing. Zero pretension, great food. Brooklyn at it's best. Try the pudding.... and the pasta with meat sauce, oh and the chicken... and the salad. Uhm, try everything. I love love love this place. read more

I came to Rucola for dinner, and I really enjoyed everything we ordered. They have good coffee, delicious pastas (though very limited selection) and a cozy atmosphere. The scallops we ordered were delicious, and the bread was delicious, though if I recall the olive oil didn't have much flavor. One of my favorite Italian places now; if only I lived nearby! read more

Perfect in every way! Beautiful residential location. Cute decor. Friendly and efficient service. Ridiculously reasonable prices. And oh, the food...! I went with a group of 6. I had the roasted carrots. Delicious and different. Several of us had the risotto special...red wine, sausage and treviso raddicchio. One of the most delicious and perfectly prepared risotti i've ever had. We were all swooning. Every bite had a slightly different flavor...lemon, thyme, fennel, sausage, etc...We all tasted each other's dishes and all were superb. Servings seemed a bit small, but we were full by the end of dessert...which was also delicious. A black-bottom oat pie...oh, alright, I confess...I had 2 desserts...shared the chocolate pudding with olive oil and salt. Very different and delicious. This might be my new favorite place. Can't wait to return! read more

Food was very good--we had the pork sandwich and the pizza of the day. The former had a ton of flavor, very tasty; the latter, at $5, was a really good value--while not big enough to feed a nose tackle, it's a great menu option for kids or someone who wants a little snack without having to shell out $15. That said, I was disappointed by the service, which was very aloof. No one ever checked in to ask how our food was; the greeting and overall interactions were cold and unwelcoming. Moreover, the waiter brought our check before we asked for it, and didn't ask if we wanted anything else. Ironically, we were hoping to order coffee and dessert, but that put us out of the mood. N.B.: the place was half empty, so it wasn't as if the server was too busy to check in, nor had we camped out there for hours, wearing out our welcome. On the fence about going back, since there is no shortage of good choices (Bldg on Bond, Ganso, etc.) nearby. read more

Just went here on the recommendation of a nearby store clerk. We both got the slow roasted pork sandwich, which is served with delicious olives on the side. It was perfect. The atmosphere is relaxed and there was so wait at 1pm on a Saturday. Would love to come back here to try dinner. read more

This place is cute and intimate; great for a date night. The service is quick and very helpful when it comes to picking a type of wine. The food is tasty and different. It's a nice change from the usual but not your typical Italian restaurant. read more

Went to this cute restaurant on a Monday night. Service was excellent and the ambiance in the place is terrific! Gives off a cozy atmosphere, although it was somehow so loud we had to shout to the person a foot away. This died down by about 9pm. Would definitely come back, would not come for a date with someone I wanted to get to know more! read more

We went to the Nets game on Sunday and found this Rucola through Yelp! The stellar ratings are justified. It is a corner location and very cozy inside. Rucola was packed with cool happy people sitting at the bar and all the tables. The six of us had a quartine of wine, shared an antipasto plate (the accompanying bread was awesome), chicken liver mousse, arugala salad, cod - good but had very light flavor, spaghetti with clams - excellent, and whole trout (deboned). After a round of coffee/tea and shared desserts, the bill only came to less than $400 with tip. When we left there were about half a dozen people standing waiting for tables so this was only downside - space. Also very dim lighting. read more

Cute little spot tucked away in residential Boerum Hill. The food is high quality, the coffee is good, the prices are very affordable, and the staff is very friendly and nice. read more

The drinks are delicious and the wine list is appealing. I only had one meal that was perfectly ok. I can taste the potential the kitchen has to offer. This place is a great addition to the neighborhood and I look forward to its evolution. read more

Rucola is a very cute, quaint restaurant on a quiet street in the neighborhood. BF and I sat at the bar as the place fills up and i don't think it takes reservations. Drinks were fantastic - approx $10 each. I got the trout - served head and all and BG got the rigatoni which was delicious. Fish was good and pasta was great (though pasta portion was a bit on the smaller side for a main course). My only complaint - menu is a bit limited. read more

I had a great experience here a few weeks ago. Even though they don't take reservations, I called ahead and they took my name down and were really accommodating. The decor is lovely, lots of interior brick and nice lighting- perfect date spot or place to catch up with friends. I have been craving the brussel sprouts with apples (think it was a special) ever since, and hope to go back soon! read more

Went on a Tuesday night last minute dinner around 9:15pm. Was able to get a reservation for that time. The place was packed, small and the seats were crammed together. But, we didn't care!! I loved it!! It all just worked along with the noise, good service and delicious food. Definitely trying this spot again. read more

Started off with the cheese selection which was good and came with a nice apple jelly. Had the pasta for dinner which was fresh, cooked perfectly, and delicious. Great service and knowledgeable staff. read more

Crowded. A good place to catch up, have a conversation over wine and cheese as the service is slow. Overall they use fresh ingredients, everything was flavorful and well seasoned. The roasted brook trout and crispy polenta were amazing. read more